The Road Less Travelled-Mountain Biking in and Around Bowman Lake NY State Park
Volume 31-A Few Recent Awesome Bike Rides at One of My Go-To Destinations
First a Note on the Weather and the Garden
Welcome back. Here we are in July already; time keeps marching on. The first week of July brought hot and steamy conditions. So far in July, we have received about 2.3 inches of rain which combined with the hot temperatures has resulted in ideal growing conditions for the garden and the lawn as well. Stay tuned for more garden updates. I wrote my last garden update a few weeks ago:
So far I have harvested Pak Choi, kale, lettuce, radishes, peas, and zucchini. The garden has been awesome overall, but I have noticed some signs of trouble as well.
My Latest Awesome Bike Rides
On the last 2 Saturdays, July 1st and 8th, my biking destination was Bowman Lake NY State Park, and the surrounding backroads in the McDonough State Forest. I feel very fortunate to live in Central NY State. It is very rural with an abundance of NY State Forests. If you like city life you would probably be disappointed. To me, it is a treasure trove of places to explore.
A 7-Mile Ride With Lots to See
On July 1st I rode within Bowman Lake Park. I was on a mission that day to check out the 9 cabins that have been added to the park over the last several years. My wife and I have been toying with the idea of camping again. We have done a lot of camping over the years, starting out tent camping before we had kids, then using a pop-up camper from the late 1990s up until 2011. Over the years, we camped over 200 nights in the camper, traveling in the Northeast and Eastern Canada. As I mentioned, in 2011 we sold the camper that Fall since our son had graduated from high school and we didn’t think we would use it that much moving forward. Also, a main factor in the decision was the high cost of operating and maintaining a tow vehicle.
We are thinking of tent and/or cabin camping, even possibly getting a small pop-up camper again. It would have to be a lightweight one since my Subaru Forester can only tow 1500 pounds.
The cabins at Bowman Lake are primitive but would serve the purpose. Only one has electricity. It would be easier than setting up a tent, however. Any of the cabins would be nice; several have lake views, and the others are in the woods. Bowman Lake has 160 campsites overall.
I ended up riding 7 miles, between riding around the park and a few of the surrounding roads. The park was very busy gearing up for the 4th of July. It was fun to see all the people and check out their camping setups, from tents to motor homes. It’s always good to see the park busy. When I ski there in the Winter, it is the complete opposite. Don’t get me wrong, there are always a few people there in the snow walking, skiing, or sledding. The quiet beauty is stunning. Both experiences are enjoyable. It’s one of the greatest advantages of living in this part of the country. The wonder of the changing seasons.
A 12-mile Ride in the McDonough State Forest-Also a Great Opportunity for Birdwatching
This past Saturday, July 8, I set out on the roads of rural Central NY that surround Bowman Lake. It is possible for a great loop ride around the general perimeter of the park. The many forest roads provide many sights, including several ponds. As an avid birdwatcher, I am always listening to and looking for the many species of birds in the area. For those of you who follow my stories, you know I love birds. I normally do most of my bird watching in the winter as I participate in Project FeederWatch and the Great Backyard Bird Count. Identifying birds in the Winter is made easier since most of the birds come to the feeders.
I am working on my Summer bird identifying skills, which most likely involves identifying them high in the trees hidden by leaves. I don’t always have the patience, especially when on a bike ride. However, on this ride, I was able to identify a Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker with the help of the Merlin app and a sighting high in the trees. Merlin is a great app that helps you identify birds either by sound or using photos. It’s fun to let the sound recorder run and see all the birds it identifies. The challenge, however, is to actually see the birds. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a photo but the following is a photo from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
It was a great ride. Adding birdwatching to the ride makes it even more enjoyable. I will have to bring binoculars next time.
Until next time.
